The Pardes Yosef offers a beautiful answer to the question of why the Torah states that Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her. What happens when someone forgot to daven Mincha? They recite the Amidah of Maariv twice – with the first Amidah being their obligatory Tefillah, and the second a tashlumim (a makeup). The Midrash says that Avraham came back from Har HaMoriah at this time. Rabbotai, what is the distance back from Har HaMoriah to Chevron? Three days, according to the text of the Akeida where Avraham saw the place on the third day of his journey. If it took three days to get there, it naturally took three days to return. This raises a question, based on the principle that there are three days for weeping and seven for eulogizing. By the time Avraham got back, the period of time allotted for weeping had already passed! Therefore, when Avraham arrived, the obligation of eulogizing was primary, and given the days of weeping had already passed, they were only a secondary obligation. Thus, eulogizing is mentioned first.
